


Avoiding the Unknown

by Fearthefaithful



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Banter, Dubious Consent, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Kinda, Mildly Dubious Consent, Sex Magic, Smut, This is set in a school of magic, but it’s super ambiguous because that’s not the focus of the story, he’s not REALLY her teacher, only dub con because she says let go once and he doesn’t, otherwise consensual, their foreplay is playful banter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:15:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29571627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fearthefaithful/pseuds/Fearthefaithful
Summary: She’d heard stories about him. Whispers throughout the halls of the old school of his…abilities. Most of the girls desperately flung themselves at him, hoping to see a glimpse of the rumors. But Alina did the opposite. From the moment she walked into the school and heard his name–– The Darkling.
Relationships: The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova & Alina Starkov, The Darkling | Aleksander Morozova/Alina Starkov
Comments: 3
Kudos: 85





	Avoiding the Unknown

**Author's Note:**

> I have no explanation for this...

She’d heard stories about him. Whispers throughout the halls of the old school of his…abilities _.  _ Most of the girls desperately flung themselves at him, hoping to see a glimpse of the rumors. But Alina did the opposite. From the moment she walked into the school and heard his name––  _ The Darkling.  _ Of course that couldn't have been his name. But she didn’t know what it actually was–– She avoided him. Four months of this special schooling and she had mostly succeeded.

_ But, _ it was hard when he was everywhere. He wasn’t  _ exactly  _ a teacher. Alina’s friends described him more as a consultant. But she considered that to be akin to a teacher. So she couldn't always avoid him. He was at every game. Many classes. And nearly every time she went to dinner, he was just…  _ there.  _ Which strengthened her resolve to stay away more. The Darkling was not to be messed with. She didn’t want to know, like her classmates, if the rumors were true. Or what they meant. She wasn’t sure how those rumors even came about. But either way, she stuck to her original plan; Avoid the Darkling, make friends, finish school. 

_ Yes _ , she had started later than almost everyone else but she had still managed to make a few friends. And those friends helped her with school work, since this new type of schoolwork was foreign to her. But they didn’t help with the first part of her plan. Infact, all 3 of her friends were so enamoured with The Darkling that they would practically seek him out at any possible moment. 

It was tiring. 

So on the night when her friends went to go seek him out once more, since it was the weekend, Alina decided to stay back at the dorms. She had things to study anyway. Maybe not important things but–– Either way she didn't want to go. Call it, a gut feeling. The Darkling was not to be messed with. 

Boarding school had been the best choice once her specific…  _ abilities _ , came to light. And she’d just nearly aged out of the foster system. So boarding school was the perfect option. She had real friends for the first time in her life and a warm room and constant food, there was no reason to complain. 

But sometimes… The staunchness of it all felt suffocating. Sometimes the tight uniforms and the propriety and the blandness of her everyday life at boarding school was too much to handle. And really, it was probably just because she'd never had consistency, or social norms to live up to. So when it got to be too much, she would walk. Leave the dorms and walk the grounds of the school at night for some fresh air, and some adventure. Even if it was hardly an adventure at all. She  _ felt  _ adventurous and dangerous. Wondering around, late at night, with no flashlight or anything. It almost made her feel like her old self. 

Which is why, when her friends were gone trying to track down The Darkling, she was outside for a walk. It was warmer than usual for the winter, and the air had just a slight breeze. 

Perfect for walks. 

So she took an even longer walk than usual. Curfew had definitely passed, but she didn’t care. Her friends would know she was probably out walking and not say anything to get her in trouble. She could probably sit in her normal spot by the tree line all night if she wanted. 

It was getting close to midnight when she finally decided to begin her trek back to the dormitories. It wasn’t far and she quickly made her way over the hills and across the grass until she just reached the open entrance and bumped directly into someone. 

Not just someone. 

_ The Darkling _ . The entire reason she had avoided hanging out with her friends and gone on this walk was standing right in front of her with shadows covering his face. 

“What are you doing out so late,  _ little one _ ?” Maybe it was the proximity or maybe it was the timbre of his voice but either way, a stark chill ran down her spine. She couldn’t remember a time he spoke to her directly before. Because he  _ hadn’t. _

“I–– I just went for a walk. I’m sorry. I fell asleep and… lost track of time.” The lie fell from her lips easily. She tried to keep her eyes from his but the dark and dangerous look there was all too intriguing. Maybe that was why he was called The Darkling. She’d never been this close to him. He almost looked handsome with the way his hair was pushed back  _ just so. _ And his grey eyes, which were so deceiving since such darkness lived inside them. 

“It’s far past curfew. You should have been turned in hours ago. What were you even doing out here?” He looked behind her as if an answer would just present itself. “What is your name?” 

Her throat felt dry, “My… name?” 

“Yes,” his eyebrow quirked up, “Your name, little one. So I can know which dorm you’re meant to be in.” 

“Alina..” She whispered, feeling her plan of avoiding him forever slip right through her fingers. This was the opposite of avoiding. She was barely a foot from him. And she was drinking him in. 

His lips pursed just for a second, “Alina, are you alone out here? Or is there another young boy or girl trailing not far behind you.” The suggestion was clear. 

“No. No, I’m alone. No one else is out there.” 

He watched her for a moment before he nodded just one stiff nod. “And any particular reason you’re out for a walk?” 

“No. None at all. I’m sorry. Just enjoy a good walk.” She tried to stay as calm as possible. One of the many rumors about The Darkling, is that he could  _ smell _ fear. And fear was billowing inside of her like smoke. How could she not be afraid? 

“Well…  _ Alina,—  _ I think it best you find your way to your dorm.” His eyes narrowed at her a bit. 

She swallowed, her feet planted in the ground, she couldn’t move. “Am I in trouble?” 

His lips twitched, “Maybe… Do you think you should be?” 

“I didn’t mean to miss curfew, I fell asleep. I—”

He suddenly stepped closer, terrifying her further and sending more chills through her limbs, “Don’t lie to me, little one. It won’t bode well for you, because I can tell.” The foot between them had dissipated only leaving the  _ inches _ . But his closeness didn’t scare her anymore. 

Because her temper flared at his use of ‘little one’, again. It was demeaning. She was 17, hardly little. “I’m not lying, _Sir.”_

His eyes sparked with amusement at her poorly tamed anger, “Go to bed, Alina. Before anyone else catches you and doesn’t feel as generous as I do right now.” 

She almost huffed at his statement but stopped herself just in time, “Goodnight, Sir.” 

She slipped past him and further into the dark hallway. 

“Goodnight, little one.” 

  
  


—

  
  


If that had been the only time The Darkling bothered her she would have been relieved, ecstatic even. But sadly, at every moment suddenly The Darkling was everywhere. And he  _ noticed  _ her. In the dining hall he’d catch her eye and send her the must smug look. In a class that he’d never assisted with he’d suddenly appear. And if she was alone in a hallway, more often than not she’d run into him somehow. 

Avoiding him became almost impossible. And Alina was at her wits end with it. But she was also afraid. He was called The Darkling for a reason. His abilities were world renowned— far better than most of the teaching staff at the school. Which was why he was a consultant in the first place.  _ Whatever that means _ . 

If she had caught The Darkling’s attention then it couldn’t be good. 

So she double her efforts to avoid him, going in the complete opposite direction if necessary, just for good measure. And finally she did stop seeing him as much. But also  _ not.  _ Because he was still in some of her classes where he would watch her. Sometimes, she would see his eyes sparkle with amusement or fascination if she answered a question right or commented on a specific part of the lesson. 

It was as if she’d gone from completely off his radar to the  _ only thing _ on his radar. 

But he never spoke with her. Unless it was to answer a question she asked in class— taking over for the teacher at any moment he pleased. 

And she would bolt out of class, to ensure he had no time to say anything else. 

It went on for weeks until one day, when she sat in the library, alone, she’d heard his voice from across the room. He spoke with another member of the staff for a few minutes before he spotted her. She’d never taken her eyes off of him, so when his eyes met hers she knew she’d been caught. 

She tried to turn her attention back to her book but it was impossible because in the next minute he started making his way towards her, sending panic through her nervous system. 

“Do you often take walks by yourself and sit in the library by yourself, Alina?” His dark voice taunted her. 

“Why would someone sit in a library with their friends? Seems to me like not a lot of studying would get done.” Her sass was evident. And she was dying for him to go away. But she was  _ sure _ he’s been following her. And it’s just… gotten under her skin. 

He leaned forward, slowly placing his hands on the table in front of her and closing the height difference between them. “Are you always this rude to people who saved your ass? I didn’t turn you in for frolicking the grounds past curfew, and  _ this _ is the thanks I get.” He looks anything but annoyed. In fact, he actually looks quite pleased, his eyes just  _ dancing  _ with mirth. 

“If you feel you must turn me in then you must.” Now she was taunting him, because if he turned her in now it would look suspicious why he didn’t weeks ago. “But me speaking the truth hardly makes me rude, I think.” 

His lips twitched. He was enjoying this, and that made her even more uncomfortable. “Or I could just punish you myself.” 

Her stomach dropped and an unfamiliar tingling sensation started in her thighs. She’d had sex before— sure, but it was mostly out of convenience and such a short thing that she hardly had time to feel anything at all. But this man  _ reeked _ sex. His entire aura was  _ sex.  _ And the way he said it insinuated just enough that she felt her cheeks heat. She couldn’t bear to hold his gaze anymore. 

“Is there a reason you’re speaking with me right now?” Her eyes were focused on the paper of her book, but she wasn’t reading at all. 

“Many reasons, actually.” 

Her throat tightened, and she tried to pull it together. But something about him unnerved her. “I’m trying to focus on studying, Sir.” Just then it seemed he got closer to her. She could feel his breath ticketing the back of her neck. His hands were still splayed on the table— they were just  _ there _ … how could she not look at them? 

“Have you been avoiding me, little one?” His voice was quiet, so that no one but her could hear. And she couldn’t help but think this was deeply inappropriate. But she also couldn’t find it in herself to care all that much. The library was full of people— yet here he was. 

Speaking with  _ her _ . 

_ Teasing _ her. 

Her pulsed raced at his proximity. “Why would you care if I had?” 

“You’re a very interesting girl.” Her focus was still solely on his overly appealing hands, but she felt as he pulled back away from his hunched over position. 

She spun in her chair to look at him, with some distance finally between them. “And why’s that?”

“Well, you haven’t tried to engage me— for one. And your…  _ abilities _ . You seem quite advanced for this being your first year. Very odd.”

She choked out a laugh, “So because I don’t want to flirt with you that makes me odd?” 

His eyebrow jumped, “I never said you didn’t want to flirt with me.” 

“Well I don’t.” 

“In general you don’t seem too keen on me. Why’s that?” 

She looked him over thoughtfully, “I’m not sure what you mean. I have no issue with you. Beyond that, I also have nothing I need from you. Other students might.” 

He studied her, and she wanted to shrink under his gaze, but she refused. “And what is it that you think these students want from me?” 

“All kinds of things. They want to learn from you because of your power. They want to get close to you because of your status.” She paused, “They want to sleep with you because of your reputation.” 

He grinned, “And what reputation is that?” 

“Some… students say that you are particularly good in bed.” She shrugged nonchalantly, “So they want to sleep with the elusive  _ Darkling. _ ” 

There was a beat of silence as he mulled over her words, and then her attention was trapped as he licked lazily at his lips. Heat rose to her skin. “I’ve heard of these rumors. Though, I’m not quite sure how they’ve started, since I’ve never once slept with anyone on this campus.” 

Her eyes flashed back up to his at his confession. “And you’ve only been here for a few months and yet you know them too.” He tilted his head to the side, “So you avoid me because you’ve heard these rumors.” 

“No,” she shook her head, “I just—” she wasn’t sure what to say. 

“Are you afraid of me?” He leaned closer, his voice dropping nearly an octave. 

Her breath rasped. He seemed closer now. And she could see every single fleck of his eyes. They were so light— almost clear, and they enticed her. She wanted to keep looking at them. 

Before she had a chance to even respond and snap out of the transe his eyes had put her in, his name was called from across the library by one of the instructors, and he sent her one last lingering look before he followed the summons. And then he was gone. 

—

The third time she spoke with him was much like the first. 

It had been weeks since their conversation in the library and she had gone over and over it in her head millions of times. 

The way he looked at her. The way his breath tickled her neck. The way she was way too interested in his hands. 

The way he was nearly  _ teasing  _ her. 

She began taking walks again at night. The Darkling had become scarce, seemingly tied up with a few students who shared his aptitude for magic. So her walks were completely alone. 

She snuck into the dorms freely every night that she stayed out past curfew. 

It was easy. 

But sometimes she found herself pushing it even further. Almost like she  _ wanted _ him to catch her. Which was ridiculous since her entire goal was to avoid him. 

_ Except— _ something about him called to her. Or… intrigued her. 

But it didn’t matter because no matter how long she stayed out past curfew, she never ran into him like she did that first night. 

So she’d stopped worrying about it at all. 

But she’d heard a noise. And not just a normal noise. She knew someone was there. 

She’d been sitting in her normal spot for hours. Plucking at the grass or writing furiously in her journal. This place— this school was insane. She had to write it all down to even understand it. 

But when she heard the noise she froze and smoothly shifted to her feet. She stayed with her back to the noise, in hopes to lure it further. Once the noise sounded again she outstretched her hand and spun quicker than she’d probably ever moved in her life; stilling the movements of the stranger with a wispy noise of magic. 

But the captive didn’t stay frozen long, because The Darkling, oh so quick on his toes, regained control of the situation with the other flick of his wrist; releasing himself from her invisible hold. “How did you learn to do that?” 

He didn’t even bother to greet her. He just stared at her incredulously, taking small steps closer to her over the clean grass. 

She opened and shut her mouth, not even sure herself. She had come to the school to learn about her abilities. And she had— some. But she didn’t know much. Most everything she knew how to do she just… _ knew _ . Through instinct or something similar. 

Her eyes shot down to his hand as it curled in on itself and she panicked. She couldn’t react in time to stop it; he summoned the air from her lungs and she lifted just slightly, like was suspended in water. Her brain went into overdrive as she watched him, her eyes bulged. He was going to kill her. Except… he wasn’t.

His expression was calm, not concentrated or angry. But more calculating. Waiting to see what she would do. 

Her brain rushed to think of a way out. Of all she learned at the school it wasn’t much. But she needed something. She couldn’t run— her toes just brushing the ground. 

Just as she thought she had nothing, instincts kicked in to save her. 

Her leg lifted from the suspension and she jammed her heel into his thigh. It shocked him just enough that he dropped his invisible hold on her and she backed away with her arms raised in defense. 

“You could have killed me!” She hissed. What kind of teacher almost kills their students? Except he wasn’t  _ really  _ a teacher, was he?

“I wouldn’t have. I was testing you.” He said plainly. 

“Testing me? It is the middle of the night. Why the hell would you test me in the middle of the night?” Her anger compounded in her. He seemed way too calm. They weren’t in class or practice. He couldn’t just ambush her like that. 

“Precisely. So why are you out past curfew? Again.” 

She sneered, “Why are you attacking students?” For some reason, she couldn’t find it in herself to be afraid of him thus time.

His eyebrow quirked up and in a flash he gripped her wrist and spun it just right until she was planted firmly in his chest, with his face mere inches from her own. “I believe you attacked me first.” 

She glanced down at where his hand still roughly gripped her wrist.  _ Those hands _ . Her other hand reached up to the opposite side of his face and pushed, making him uncomfortable enough that she thought she could release his grip. 

But when she pulled away from him, she realized his grip hadn’t loosened at all. Her body swung around like a whip until she firmly hit his chest with her back, almost knocking the wind out of her. This time, both of his hands held each wrist, crossed in front of her chest. 

“Now who’s attacking who?” She bit out throatily. But it wasn’t nearly as menacing as anticipated. In fact, every bit of it sounded forced and uncertain. Her body was  _ molded  _ to his. And she was trapped. Instead of fear, her racing heartbeat was filled with something else. Something even more dangerous. 

His nose tickled the back of her ear and she nearly jumped out of her skin. It felt good. In a way it  _ shouldn’t  _ feel good. “You’re a feisty little one. With more power than you even understand. How is that, Alina?” His breath was sending chills down her spine, and her eyes fluttered shut. Whatever was happening, he could feel it too. If the gruffness in his voice was any indication. 

“Let me go.” She demanded with a weak whisper. 

He transferred her wrists into one hand and used the other to reach behind and push her hair to the side. Pulses were running through her body when his fingers brushed against the back of her neck. 

“No.” His lips touched her skin in the next moment and she bucked back against him in response, almost involuntarily. Sparks flew through her skin and snapped through her brain. Nothing was making sense. He had kissed her neck. She didn’t understand why. 

A trail of fire followed his lips as he kissed teasingly along her neck. Wetness pooled in her core. And despite herself, she found she was chasing his lips. His touch. His body. 

When he reached a certain spot below her jaw and bit lightly at the skin, her hips ground against his. She could feel his hardness at her ass. And she wanted to feel more. 

But she couldn’t. 

“Let… me—” The knuckles of his free hand ran the length of her sternum up her neck, and under her jaw. She let out a breathy moan and tried to push past the overwhelming sparks that came from his touch. “What are you doing?” She rasped.

“Who are you?” His teeth nipped at her earlobe. 

She bucked back against him again, settling in to grind back against him unwillingly. “No one…” her breath was desperate.  _ She  _ was beginning to feel desperate. 

His fingers slid down her torso with purpose, and a teasing touch. When they reached the hem of her pants he paused just briefly before slipping beneath the fabric and touching her bare skin. Another pulse of pleasure burst through her, dampening her aching sex more. “You’re stunning, little one.” He whispered. His fingers finally reached the wet lips of her cunt but just teased at them, nearly sending her into a frenzy. “I want to watch you come for me so badly.” 

His thumb pushed through her folds and swiped at her clit, finding and teasing it with ease. 

Already, the clenching of her walls and pulsing of her cunt was too much. She was out of her mind with want. And she didn’t just want his fingers. She wanted  _ him. _

The next two fingers of his hand dipped down to circle her cunt. She spasmed, trying to yank her wrists from his hold but he still held them firm. She wanted to touch him. To touch herself. To do  _ something  _ to relieve the ache that was building inside of her.

A desperate groan left her lips, “Please I—,” She wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. 

“Please, what?” He sucked earnestly at her neck and he brought her closer to relief with his hand. 

It was too much. But not enough. “Please.” 

“Please,  _ what?  _ What’s wrong little one? Is this not enough?” Two of his fingers entered her roughly and she jolted, nearly coming just at that. “What do you want?” 

He made pssses over her clit haphazardly and the pace where his fingers slid through her wetness was not enough. She was growing frustrated. He was teasing her. He knew it wouldn’t be enough. But still he continued, drawing it out further and further. Occasional nipping at her neck. 

Suddenly, his motions stilled as he waited for her response. “What do you want?” 

She opened her palms, even as he held her wrists, and used all the focus she could to magically pressurize the air and contort the arm he had gripping her to the side so that he would release her wrists. The moment she felt it loosen at his shock, she swung around to face him. But he was too quick. 

He followed through with her movement with his quick reflexes and trapped both wrists in mid air then pulled them to his chest so he could grip them in one movement again. “Once again full of surprises.” He growled. “But not quite quick enough.” His eyes blazed down at hers. His free hand settled into her hair before his lips descended upon hers. 

The kiss was ravenous. But she responded instantly. Climbing up him with a fervency she’s never known before. His hands gripped her thighs and held her against him as he defiled her. Though his mouth was desperate against hers, she could feel the softness and perfection of his lips. She’d kissed many boys. Well— she’d kissed a handful of boys, but The Darkling kissed like an expert. 

He slid his tongue against her mouth and drew out moans and feelings that she didn’t know could happen just with a kiss. The pinch of his fingers into her thigh barely registered. All she felt— all she could focus on was his kiss. 

“Alina…” he groaned. The hand that had been inside her before, reached underneath her and roughly rubbed her clit through her pants. She wanted them to disappear. She wanted him inside her. 

Her back hit something hard, and the breath knocked out of her lungs. 

_ Yes. Yes. Yes. Please.  _

He released her wrists and her hands shot out over him, feeling anything she could. Every part of him was hard and toned. The muscles in his chest twitched underneath her palms and when she finally settled on gripping his hair he groaned and pulled his lips from hers. 

His attention went back on her cunt once his hand found it way back into her pants. 

“ _ Oh god,” _ She choked out, barely able to hold herself up. The onslaught was enough to make her light headed. His lips back to her neck and making their way further down to her breasts, and his fingers furiously pounding into her. 

“ _ Fuck— _ you’re perfect.” He hissed against her skin. His teeth bit at her nipples through her shirt and she arched into him. Everything was pushing her towards the edge. The very feel of his hair tickling her skin was sending more pulses of want. His tongue lapped at her and his thumb flicked her clit and she exploded around him. 

A choked scream left her lungs as the orgasm spurred through her. 

When she came down, her eyes fluttered open and clashed with his. Her legs were still wrapped around his hips. His eyes were hard on hers, but his breath was labored. Brushing his chest against hers with every inhale. 

It was hard to break eye contact. Impossible, really. Because every part of her was attuned to him. The look in his eyes was a paragraph of words and questions that he didn’t know how to verbalize. And she knew hers were the same. 

And the magic around them swirled tighter. 

Between them, she could feel his cock throb against her. She let herself grind down on him— his face taking on a pained look of want. The feel of him hard and pressed into her was enough to make her wet again. 

His hand fell between them and pulled out his cock from his pants. She froze when she felt the head of him brush against her. It was  _ euphoric. _

He watched her closely as he rubbed it again, and again— the unspoken words between them grew. The velvet skin of him sparked something in her that she couldn’t contain. 

“ _ Please,”  _ she broke. “Please.” 

In one swift move he buried himself inside her. They groaned in unison at the sensations that grew in between them. But like a dam broke, the restraint that held him at bay was gone and he pounded into her relentlessly. Another choked scream racked her chest and into the dark night. 

“You feel… incredible.  _ Fuck. _ ” He molded his lips against hers again as he fucked her. Relentless. Desperate. He gave her  _ everything. _

And she would take it. She would take all he had to give her in this one moment. Because that’s all this was. The moment would pass and she would be left with nothing but memories. So she took  _ everything.  _ And in return she gave him whatever he asked for. The requests he feverishly growled into her skin. 

_ Moan for me. Scream for me.  _

_ Come for me.  _

And when she came she came with a vengeance. Like she’d never done before. It’s rung her of her energy and strength. But he continued to fuck her. Pounding her cunt. Worshiping her with his words. 

_ Beautiful pussy. You’re stunning, little one.  _

_ So perfect for me.  _

Until he built her back up until she was on the verge of another orgasm that she wasn’t even sure she would survive. His thrusts became impossibly harder. Bruising her legs with his fingers, and her neck with his mouth— he came with one final thrust. 

And she came too. The magic between them tightening so tight it felt suffocating. 

His forehead rested against hers as they both caught their breath. 

After a few minutes he pulled out of her slowly and sat her on her own feet. And then he rearranged her clothes and brushed back her hair until it was all back in place, taking care with every strand and fabric. 

She was motionless as she watched him. Entrapped by his attentiveness to her. She’d never been dressed that she could remember— let alone redressed. 

And then suddenly he stepped back, and examined her work. Once he was sure it was all decent, his eyes met with hers. 

“Thank you…” she whispered. His actions had knocked the wind from her lungs. 

He nodded slowly, but said nothing. They stood there watching each other for a while, his face unreadable. Hers…. completely shell shocked. She knew logically what happened was not completely normal. Magic… or something else. hHe was trying to figure out. She could see the wheels in his brain turning— searching for answers. 

“I suppose I should…” she gestured in the direction of the dorms without ripping her eyes away. 

He blinked at her as if just registering what she said. Then opened his mouth to say something but before he could she bolted in the direction of the dorms. 

“Alina!” He called out for her but she was already up the hill and refused to turn around. “We will talk about this. This will happen again!” 

His words were serious but she could also hear the amusement behind his tone, and she smiled to herself. 

_ Not a chance in hell.  _

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Twitter @Feardafaithful


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